Why Technology and B2B Telemarketing

When you’re selling technology, it’s not a simple situation. Let’s take, for example, a company that’s selling a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that may cost in the six-figure range every year for a large enterprise.This sale is quite different from selling pens for the office. Just about any pen will work.And if a pen’s not perfect, it’s not highly risky and/or likely to change business results.

What makes selling technology unique and complex, and why is telemarketing ideal for addressing these challenges?

The Complexities of the Technology Sale

• People, Personalities and Politics

First, you’re not selling one-to-one. There are multiple stakeholders involved, each looking at the decision from a slightly different angle. In the CRM solution example, you’ll likely find leaders for the customer service, marketing, sales, and information technology departments are all involved. They each have unique needs, their personalities that range from risk-averse to pioneering, and they are immersed in the daily politics that seep through the cubicle walls.

You have to navigate your way through this tangled web of decision-making to get the team on board. And even when they’ve made their decision, it doesn’t mean you’ve earned the business.Next they probably need to build the business case and shoot it up the totem pole for top executives to sign on the dotted line.

• Risks and Rewards

There is, of course, a lot at stake.Not only does a technology sale often have a high price tag, it can also have a tremendous effect on productivity and results. If the team makes the right decision and is successful, there may be opportunities for them to climb the corporate ladder.If not, they may be given a box for their belongings and shown the way to the door.

• Time’s a Ticking

Because so many people are involved in seeking a solution to the problem, and each is doing their due diligence, it takes time.Also, this likely is not the only issue on their plates.

So buying cycles can last months or even years.So even when you identify the buyers, you don’t want to hand them over to your sales people before the time is right.That can damage your chances of a sale and negatively affect your sales people’s morale.

• Users and Uses are Unique

Businesses all have different needs, resources, processes and systems.Just because a CRM system has worked well for the bathroom cabinet supplier down the street that does not mean it will work well for the financial services company.And business leaders are increasingly demanding solutions tailored to their industry and company. That means companies need to delve deep to understand these needs.

• Research First

The buyer is responding to the complexity of a technology purchase, by doing as much as 50–60% of their research before they ever talk to a sales person.

What does this mean for the technology marketer?

Because of the tendency to complete research online, many technology providersare leaping into content marketing—attracting and nurturing buyers with white papers, blog posts, eye-grabbing videos and more.

Content is critical. But it can’t navigate this complex decision-making process alone.It’s like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded. You don’t know enough to reach your destination…the closed sale.You don’t know what questions decision-makers have; what content is relevant; and when they’re ready to move beyond research and sit face-to-face with a salesperson.

Telemarketing Helps You Map Your Course

• Survey the Situation

All it takes to open your eyes, understand which direction to take, and negotiate the twists and turns along the way is to reach out to decision-makers one-on-one by phone. This enables you to understand the distinctive needs of an organization;how decisionsare made; each of the decision-making-team members’ role in the decision; and their requirements and objections.

You’ll discover how to negotiate the people, personalities and politics involved in the decision, and be able to ease concerns about risks while emphasizing results other companies have achieved.

• Nurture Your Leads

Because the complex sales take place over months or even years, you need to nurture your leads. Once you understand the requirements and nature of the decision-making process, you can put together a nurturing plan for each of the team members—providing content to answer their questions and overcome objections. Schedule relevant emails and phone calls to keep your company top-of-mind and to assure that prospects receive the right information at the right time.

• Customize Your Solution

“Marketing is not the art of finding clever ways to dispose of what you make. It is the art of creating genuine customer value.” Philip Kotler

As I mentioned, prospects are looking for a solution that fits within their organization’s unique needs. Because you’re on the phone speaking one-on-one with them, you can guide them through the complexities of your offering to the solutionthat will work best for them.

• Build Relationships

Along the way you’ll be able to build a relationship with one-to-one conversation, giving you an edge over competitors that are waiting for a face-to-face sales call. This is essential because business people don’t buy from other businesses, they buy from other business people. Every time you contact a prospect, you’re adding the human touch to the sales process which is an essential ingredient to closing the sale.

• Lower Cost of the Sale

A Gartner report, “Inside Selling: Selling More at Lower Cost,” documented that supporting a field sales person with an inside sales person enables them to generate 2.5 times the revenue. And since an inside sales person, or even an outsourced telemarketer, is much less expensive than hiring a new sales person, you can see how easy it is to lower the cost per sale.

• Maximize Your Multi-Touch Campaign

Because of the complexity of the sale, you need multiple touches and an array of tactics to reach your audience.All of these can be far more effective when combined with telemarketing.For instance, agents can call prospects to invite them to webinars, set appointments at trade shows, follow up after white paper downloads and much more.

So to gain the edge, add telemarketing and the human touch to your tactics and increase your technology sales.For more information download our FREE e-book: “Bridge the Divide Between Sales and Marketing.”

  Jeff Kalter is CEO of 3D2B, a global business-to-business telemarketing company that  bridges the divide between marketing and sales. He leads customer acquisition    programs for Fortune 500 companies, and is passionate about building strong business   relationships through professional phone conversations.

Belinda Summers works as a Business Development Consultant for CallboxInc. She helps businesses improve and maximize their marketing campaigns by providing expert advice on lead generation and appointment setting. She provides tips and trainings on telemarketing, email, social media, and other marketing strategies.

   

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